Field of the I nvention

[1] This invention relates generally to an inter-tenancy partitioning system .

Summa ry of the Disclosure

[2] There is provided herein an inter-tenancy partitioning system installed between floor and ceiling slabs.

[3] The system com prises al igned dual spaced apart ceil ing and floor channels, each channel formed between inner edges of longitudinal channel forming members.

[4] The channel forming mem bers of the dual ceiling channels are affixed to an undersurface of the ceiling slab and the channel forming members of the dual floor chan nels are affixed to an upper surface of the floor slab.

[5] Dual spaced-apart panels are supported vertically within the aligned dual ceiling and floor channels and a pl ural ity of panels are run along each channel to complete a partition section. Each panel has a width less tha n that of each channel so as to be able to sl ide longitudinally for the packing together of adjacent panels in each channel during installation.

[6] Furthermore, the dual ceiling and floor channels are spaced apart to provide a gap between the inner surfaces of the panels for the reticulation of requisite data, electrical and/or plum bing services therebetween.

[7] The dual pa nels have a height of greater than 2800 mm and extend through a suspended ceil ing to engage the respective channel form ing mem bers at the ceiling sla b above the suspended ceiling in a concealed manner.

[8] Furthermore, outer vertical pieces of the channel form ing members of the floor channels have a height to not extend vertically beyond an upper surface of an adjacent floor covering.

[9] The panels may comprise outer plasterboard layers which may be painted directly post installation without further preparation. The panels may comprise an inner fire rated core, such as of rockwool.

[10] The channel forming mem bers may comprise right-angled brackets. Horizontal pieces of inner right-angled brackets may overlap and may share a common fastener located through respective collocating apertures thereof.

[11] Horizontal pieces of the channel forming members of the floor channels may extend laterally underneath the adjacent floor covering. [12] Whereas outer right-angled brackets of the channel form ing members of the ceiling channels may be the same size as the inner channel forming members, the outer right- angled brackets of the channel form ing mem bers of the floor channels may be relatively smaller in having a relatively shorter vertical piece which does not extend above an upper surface of an adjacent floor covering. In one embodiment, the relatively smaller right-angled bracket has a height of 10 mm and a width of 40 mm so as to not extend above an adjacent floor covering which may be approximately 15 mm thick.

[13] Installation of the system may comprise fixing four inner right-angled brackets to the ceiling and floor slabs. Two relatively larger outer right-angled brackets may be affixed to the ceiling whereafter the panels may be installed vertically with requisite services reticulated within the ga p therebetween.

[14] Thereafter, the relatively smal ler outer right-angled brackets of the floor channel forming formations may be installed.

[15] The panels may be sl id adjacently within the channels until flush. Dual directional fastening pins apply to adjacent edges of each panel may pierce through the adjacent edges to bind the panels when the panels are pushed together.

[16] The outer plasterboard layers of the panels may then be painted. The suspended ceiling may then be installed, thereby concealing the upper channel forming mem bers thereabove and a floor covering may be installed to conceal the outer right-angled brackets of the channel form ing members of the floor channels .

[17] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Descri ption of the Drawings

[18] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fal l within the scope of the present invention, preferred em bodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of exam ple only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[19] Figure 1 shows a front elevation view of an inter-tenancy partitioning system in accordance with an em bodiment;

[20] Figure 2 shows a side elevation view of the partitioning system;

[21] Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the partitioning system;

[22] Figure 4 shows a magnified cross-sectional side elevation view of the partitioning system;

[23] Figure 5 shows a magnified view of adjacent edges of panels of the partitioning system; [24] Figure 6 shows a side elevation view of a partitioning system in accordance with a further embodiment; and

[25] Figure 7 shows a top plan view of panel interlocks in accordance with an embodiment.

Description of Em bodiments

[26] An inter-tenancy partitioning system 100 is instal led between a ceiling slab 101 and a floor slab 102.

[27] The system 100 com prises dual ceiling and floor channels 103. Each channel 103 is formed between inner edges of longitudinal channel form ing mem bers 104.

[28] The channel form ing mem bers 104 of the dual ceiling channels 103 are affixed to an undersurface of the ceiling slab 101 and the channel forming membe rs 104 of the dual floor channels 103 are affixed to an upper surface of the floor slab 102.

[29] Dual spaced apart partitioning pa nels 105 are supported vertically within the dual ceiling and floor channels 103. A plurality of panels 105 are run adjacently within each channel 103 to complete a partition.

[30] Each panel 105 has a width less than that of each channel 103 so as to be able to slide longitudinal ly within the channels 103 during installation.

[31] The dual ceil ing and floor channels 103 are spaced apart to provide a services gap 106 between the panels 105.

[32] The dual panels 105 have a height of greater than 2800m m to extend through a suspended ceiling 107 to engage the respective channel forming mem bers 104 therea bove in a concealed manner.

[33] Furthermore, outer vertical pieces 108 of the channel forming members 104 of the floor channels 103 may have a length not extend vertical ly above an upper surface of an adjacent floor covering 109.

[34] The panels may com prise outer plasterboard layers 110 and an inner core 111. The core 111 is preferably fire rated and may comprise rockwool.

[35] Each panel 105 may com prise a width of approximately 50 mm wherein the outer plasterboard layers 110 have a width of approximately 13 m m and the inner core has a width of approximately 24 mm.

[36] The dual channels 103 may be spaced apart to allow a gap 106 of approximately 50 mm between inner surfaces of the panels 105. In this configuration, the system 100 has a width of approximately 150 mm between outer surfaces of the panels 105. [37] The channel form ing mem bers 104 may comprise right-angled brackets 112.

[38] Horizontal pieces 114 of the inner right-angled brackets 112 may overlap and may share a com mon fastener 113 through collocating apertures thereof. The horizontal pieces 114 of the outer right-angled brackets 112 may each be engaged by a respective separate fastener 113 therethrough.

[39] Outer right-angled brackets 112 of the channel forming mem bers 104 of the ceil ing channels 103 may be of the same size as those of the inner right-angled brackets 112. I n embodiments, these right-angled brackets 112 are 40 x 40 m m and 2 mm thick. The vertical pieces 108 of this length provide height tolerance between upper edges of the panels 105 and the ceiling slab 101. However, if necessary, s pacers 115 may space the horizontal pieces 114 of right-angled brackets 112 of the channel form ing members 104 of the ceiling channels 103 away from the undersurface of the ceiling slab 101. Fire rated sealant 116 (such as fire rated silicon) may interface edges of the spacers 115.

[40] Vertical pieces 108 of the outer right-angled brackets 112 of the channel forming members 104 of the floor channels 103 may be relatively smaller which are thereby concealed between the upper surface of the adjacent floor covering 109. In em bodiments, these relatively smaller right-angled brackets are 40 x 10 mm and 2 mm thick.

[41] The horizontal pieces 114 of the outer right-angled brackets 112 of the channel forming mem bers 104 may extend lateral ly to be concealed under the adjacent floor covering 109.

[42] With reference to Figure 3, each panel 105 may comprise a width of 1200 mm and, further with reference to Figure 2, may com prise a height of approximately 3000 m m .

[43] Installation of the system 100 may com prise applying 4-hour fire rated sil icon to perimeters of the inter-tenancy wall. Fu rthermore, fire rated silicon sealant 117 may be applied to vertical edges of each panel 105. Dual direction fastening pins such as inter tenancy panel rigidity pins may be appl ied to edges of each panel 105.

[44] The four inner right-angled brackets 114 may be instal led first into the ceiling and floor slabs using a Ramset™ or Hilti™ shot fire gun.

[45] Thereafter, the two outer channel form ing mem bers may be installed in a sim ilar manner.

[46] The panels 105 may then be installed vertically with requisite services run within the gap 106 therebetween. Thereafter, the outer right-angled brackets 112 of the channel forming mem bers of the floor channels are instal led. [47] The panels 112 may be pushed longitudinally within the channels 103 against each other causing the panel rigidity pins and the adhesive 117 to bind.

[48] Thereafter, the full parameter of the inter-tenancy wall may be sealed with fire rated silicon adhesive.

[49] Outer surfaces of the outer plasterboard layers 110 of the panels 105 may be painted and the suspended ceiling 107 installed to conceal the upper chan nel form ing members 104 and floor covering 109 installed to conceal the outer right-angled brackets 112 on the floor.

[50] Figure 6 shows a partitioning system 118 in accordance with a further embodiment wherein the system 100 employs C-channels instead of right-angled brackets 112. I n accordance with this em bodiment, the system 100 may com prise floor C-channels 119 com prising vertical pieces 120, horizontal pieces 121 and outer vertical pieces 122.

[51] Similarly, the outer vertical pieces 122 may com prise a length so as to remain concealed between an upper surface of an adjacent floor covering 109. Dual fasteners may locate through the horizontal pieces 121. Gaskets 123 may interface inner faces of the inner vertical pieces 120.

[52] The system 118 may further com prise ceiling C-channels similar comprising a vertical piece 120 and horizontal piece 121. However, the outer vertical piece 125 may be removable.

[53] An outer engagement 126 may engage a fastener 127 through upper edges of the removable vertical pieces 125. A claw a rrangement 128 may further brace the removable vertical piece 125 against the fastener 127. Removal of the removable vertical pieces 125 may al low the panels 105 to be tilted from or into the upper channels 103.

[54] Figure 7 shows an inter-panel interlock 129 for interlocking adjacent edges of panels 105 together. Interlock 129 com prises a first interlock piece 130 and a second interlock piece 130. Each interlock piece 130 com prises a female region 131 and adjacent male tines 132. The pieces 130 are secured aga inst adjacent edges of the panels 105 opposite-handedly such that the male tines 132 extend in to cl ip into the collocating respective female regions 131.

[55] The pieces 130 may be made of metal, such as extruded al um inium .

[56] The pieces 130 may allow the panels 105 to slide together longitudinally along the channels 103 yet prevent lateral movement when interlock together, thereby ensuring that the outer surfaces of the panels 105 are aligned.

[57] The outer layers 110 may extend beyond the interlocking pieces 130 su ch that the interlocking pieces 130 concealed there behind when the panels 105 are pushed together. [58] The foregoing description, for purposes of expla nation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough u nderstanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skil led in the art that specific details are not required in order to practi se the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific em bodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of ill ustration and description. They are no t intended to be exhaustive or to lim it the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical appl ications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best util ize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the fol lowing claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[59] The term "approximately" or sim ilar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.